The Jets have struggled for crowds at times and it might make sense for them to change their name and rebrand themselves so that they can appeal more to fans from across a wider region.
Currently the team’s name relates to Newcastle, the immediate location where they play. But Newcastle and even the broader Hunter region are well under a million people in size. Newcastle itself has a population of only 322,000, while the Hunter has a bit over 600,000.
If Newcastle want to grow their fan base, they need to go beyond these limits and market themselves as a club for New England, and they could do this by changing their name to New England FC. The ‘northern provinces’ of the New England region have a larger population the Hunter region itself and it’s important to acknowledge these people in the team’s name and logo.
New England has 200,000 people and the Mid North Coast has 300,000. The Northern Rivers adds another 300,000, while the North West Slopes add 45,000. That’s a total of 845,000 all up.
That makes the northern provinces larger than Tasmania’s 526,000 people and twice the size of the ACT’s 419,000 people. It dwarfs the Northern Territory, which has only 246,000 people, and it’s also larger than Northern Queensland, which boasts only 625,000 people. If these northern provinces were a city, it would be the sixth largest city in Australia, displacing the Gold Coast, which has 638,000 people.
Adding the populations of the Hunter Region to those of the northern provinces takes the total population of New England to around 1.5 million. This is a substantial catchment area to draw upon both for fans and also for players.
But unfortunately the team’s current name might be a limiting factor in appealing to new fans.
Firstly, calling it Newcastle makes it sound like it only represents a small market, like calling a Tasmanian team Hobart just because of where they might be based. Then you have ‘United’ thrown in, which mimics the name of Newcastle United in England. Finally, you’ve got the name Jets tacked on at the end, which makes it sound like a plastic American franchise team when in reality it’s actually a plastic Australian franchise team – in fact they only added the name Jets to avoid confusion with Newcastle United FC in England, which they could have avoided had they not called themselves United in the first place.
I don’t like the name or branding, but luckily you don’t have to look far for inspiration to find something better.
(AAP Image/Darren Pateman)
Rather than Newcastle United Jets, the club should be named New England FC to acknowledge the significance of the size and wealth of the region and the identity of the people who live there. Perhaps what unites these people more than anything and what could motivate them to follow the club is their common resentment of Sydney rule.
By renaming the club as New England it could become a rallying point for all those like-minded people who have had a gutful of Sydney and therefore draw in fans from far and wide. In recent times in Newcastle people have seen the way that the Sydney government sold off their port, the biggest coal port in the world, for $1.75 billion with less than 20 per cent of it coming back to the city, and people in the northern provinces have a long list of grievances as well.
I think it’s fair to say that people across New England are well and truly peeved off with Sydney, and if they had a club to represent them and their views, they would turn out in droves from far and wide to support it. As well as changing the club’s name, they could also change its badge to the rampant lion with sword and crown as was used on the New England New State Movement flag.
If they go back to playing in red and blue stripes, it could also evoke FC Barcelona’s kit and that club’s symbolism for people’s desire for freedom from an oppressive central government. New England FC could become the Barcelona of the A-League.
That kind of rebranding would boost attendance significantly. The derby between New England and Sydney would be bigger than the Big Blue. All it needs is a moniker to match, like ‘The Airing of Grievances’ or maybe something Australian like ‘El Bonza’.
Changing the club’s name and logo is a big call, but I think it would make a big difference and really help boost their attendances. But would they be willing to make that leap?
A.A
Roar Pro
This is truly one of the worst assembly of words cobbled together maybe on the internet ever.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
Jade North? and the Ingham boys? True it is that they were born in northern NSW, but Jade lived in Sunnybank from age 11 and played his first football in that area, a prodigious area for Australian footballers. He later played for the Brisbane Strikers before a few years with southern clubs. I can't say when the Inghams moved, but they also lived in Brisbane and as kids played for Olympic FC in Brisbane's inner south west.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
You say "If these northern provinces were a city, it would be the sixth largest city in Australia, displacing the Gold Coast, which has 638,000 people". But you could add North Qld to the Gold Coast and they would have 1.3 mil. Or the Scenic Rim, Moreton and Logan to the Gold Coast, giving you a few million people. Besides, many of these northern NSW regions align more with the Gold Coast than they do with Newcastle.
Chen Yang
Roar Pro
new england jets? sounds a little like the revolution in mls
Nick Symonds
Guest
Reminds me of an old news story I came across a few days ago about someone saying that South Australia should change its name to Adelaide. - A BIZARRE plan has been floated to ditch the name South Australia entirely and give our fourth largest state a new moniker. Instead of its current name, South Australia should be called simply Adelaide and its capital should become — somewhat confusingly — “Adelaide, Adelaide”. Bill Muirhead, who is the agent general for South Australia in London, a kind of ambassador but for just a state, said the city’s new double name could become as well-known as New York, New York. - But critics have also pointed out that Adelaide is only a small part of the state in terms of area, and much of South Australia’s mineral wealth comes from far outside the capital. Others have said that, given the state’s most famous export is wine, South Australia may as well be renamed Barossa. - It’s not the first time renaming the state has been raised. In 2012, then chief executive of lobby group Business SA, Peter Vaughan, said a logo was not enough to build the state’s profile. “Instead of mucking around with branding, if we’re going to be bold and rethink our brand how about thinking of a new name for South Australia?” he said. The name was too vague for many people overseas, particularly as two other states could claim to be further south. “(It) means to everybody from overseas the whole of the south of Australia. And the initials SA mean South Africa to most other people in the world,” Mr Vaughan said. In 1999, adverting guru John Singleton said the state’s name was “boring” and suggested it be renamed Bradman, after the cricket legend. - https://www.news.com.au/travel/australian-holidays/south-australia/wacky-plan-to-rename-south-australia/news-story/1ff201a78821db96607aae136e83b2fa
Wayne
Roar Guru
While we are at it, Adelaide United links them to the Adelaide Crows and Adelaide Lightning. Should change their name to South Australia FC
peeeko
Roar Guru
"like-minded people who have had a gutful of Sydney" - i apologize for Sydney. i am not sure what we have done, but i am sorry
Nick Symonds
Guest
Going north to get to a club isn't much better. - Coffs Harbour to Brisbane = 390km / 4h 15 min Coffs Harbour to Gold Coast = 317km / 3h 35 min
Nick Symonds
Guest
"Eventually the mid North Coast will have their own professional team and hopefully with funding they could play in A league 2 one day ." - Port Macquarie to Newcastle = 244km / 2h 39 min Coffs Harbour to Newcastle = 385km / 3h 56 min - It's no wonder why some people up there might not feel connected with Newcastle, but renaming them New England would be like when the Wollongong Wolves rebranded themselves as the South Coast Wolves. It didn't last long (2010–2015). A Mid North Coast second division side might work though.
Nick Symonds
Guest
"Nothing plastic about the ‘jets’. Newcastle is the home of the RAAF and the F-35 jets." - Actually, 35 percent of the weight of the F35's airframe is made up of composite materials. Oh, you were talking about the club... Agree completely. Nothing plastic. - "People in the ‘Northern Rivers’ of NSW are far closer to Brisbane than Newcastle so you cant try and sneak them in the ‘New England’." The Northern Rivers region is part of Gold Coast United's catchment area. Lismore to Gold Coast = 125km / 1h 33 min Lismore to Newcastle = 590km / 6h 24 min - Gee, I wonder who I would rather travel to watch if I lived in Lismore... Bring back GCU again?
Muttley
Roar Rookie
Nothing plastic about the 'jets'. Newcastle is the home of the RAAF and the F-35 jets. People in the 'Northern Rivers' of NSW are far closer to Brisbane than Newcastle so you cant try and sneak them in the 'New England'. Ridiculous idea.
Admiral Ackbar
Guest
To paraphrase WWE wrestler Simon Dean, this idea not only takes the cake, it also takes the ice cream, and the cheese fries, and the Doritos, and everything else!!!
oldpsyco
Guest
You read a lot of stupid ideas on these sites! But this one ...... Take the Cake! Bloody ridiculous! Firstly; No one from the New England area is travelling to Newcastle just to watch a football game! Secondly; The Jets are all ready one of the BEST supported teams in the A-League! They don't need your stupid ideas!
Reggie
Guest
Mate....read up on the history of Newcastle and the national leagues since 1977 and will realise how embarrassing your article is. Why the Jets, why United, why not Northern NSW whose federation they represent? It is all explained if you do your research.
Beni Iniesta
Guest
"New England FC could become the Barcelona of the A-League." LMFHAO!!
Buddy
Guest
Hey Tim, you might be amused to know that a couple of weekends ago, the espn soccernet website listed BR as Queensland Roar! It was changed a few hours after they published the result. I was going to screenshot it but couldn't think of a use for the picture.
Glen
Guest
I generally think roving teams are a bad idea for many reasons and the NRL already have a problem of teams with multiple home grounds - Tigers and Dragons being the main offenders. But... In defence of Blocker I have always supported this particular idea. 'Country' have always had an identity in rugby league it's just that they only get wheeled out once a year for the (now scrapped) City-Country game. A Country NRL side which took in the maroon and yellow V jersey and history of that team would be a big hit across regional NSW. No other professional side in the country would be like it. As for Newcastle - I don't think they should change their name to New England FC. Newcastle isn't even in New England. Newcastle need to focus on getting their own city behind them first. There are plenty of people here to lure on board. I also like the name Jets. It suits Newcastle because of the Air Force base. If anything they should get rid of the 'United' part of the name. I feel that tacking on a United / FC / Athletic / Real (looking at you Salt Lake) is even tackier. We aren't Europe so shouldn't pretend to be.
Nick Symonds
Guest
"As well as changing the club’s name, they could also change its badge to the rampant lion with sword and crown as was used on the New England New State Movement flag." - Maybe they could just put the lion on the back of the shirt under the collar as a subtle nod to the broader NNSW region.
Nick Symonds
Guest
"Let’s rotate the games through Hunter/New England and change name each time to the venue they are playing at – Dungog dingoes, wee Waa wombats. I should work in marketing…." - Sounds a bit like what Steve Roach is calling for in the NRL with a NSW country team: “I’ve been saying it for years, I reckon it would be unreal to have a country New South Wales team in the premiership,” said Roach, a four-time Country representative in his decorated playing career. “They feel like we don’t look after them enough, that we don’t cater for them. “They could have six home grounds, just travel around the country. “Because of the kilometres you have to travel in the country I don’t think you should have it in one home base. “People will get behind it. Explain why we’re doing it the way we’re doing it. “This is why we’re going to Mudgee, this is why we’re going to Tamworth, this is why we’re going to Bathurst, to spread the gospel of the game. “If you have it in one place, I don’t know whether you’d get the mass of people behind it. “But if you explained to them that the team has got four home grounds and these are the reasons why, I reckon people would bet behind it. “There’s going to be a bit of travel in it but who cares?” - “Imagine how many more people would follow the game if they had their own team to follow. “People have got to have ambition and the ability to follow somebody, they need to see someone from their town up doing it at the highest level. “We need to promote the game like that.” - https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/steve-roach-wants-a-roaming-team-in-country-nsw-admitted-in-nrl-expansion-plans/news-story/e8f1e111fc7be6aa997e1ef6276d9396
Common Sense
Roar Rookie
This is the most ridiculous article I've ever stumbled upon. Possibly the worst idea in the history of football. Dropping the United and going with Newcastle Jets is the only option imo clearly you know nothing of Newcastle and the people of the surrounding area. Here's a good idea why don't you do a article on how all the club's in London England should all change their names to London FC, London United, London City, London Athletic, London Rangers etc that would be awesome for EPL marketing your a absolute genius!